Azerbaijan offers condolences to Pakistan after deadly Kurram attack

Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry has extended its heartfelt condolences to Pakistan following a deadly armed attack in the Kurram district.

The attack, which targeted Shiite Muslim civilians in northwestern Pakistan, left at least 38 people dead, including six women, and wounded many others.

"We are deeply shocked by the tragic news about the death and injury of a large number of civilians as a result of an armed attack in Pakistan's Kurram. We express our sincere condolences to the families of the victims and the Government of Pakistan," the ministry said in a statement released on social media platform X, Caliber.Az reports.

The attack took place on November 21 when gunmen opened fire on passenger vehicles carrying Shiite Muslim civilians in the Kurram district of northwestern Pakistan. At least 38 people were killed, including six women and 29 others were wounded in one of the deadliest attacks in the region in recent years, according to local police.

The assault occurred in Kurram, a volatile area in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which has seen ongoing sectarian violence between the Sunni Muslim majority and the Shiite minority. In recent months, such clashes have claimed numerous lives.

The attackers, who remain unidentified, targeted several vehicles travelling in a convoy from Parachinar to Peshawar. The victims included women, and several others are reported to be in critical condition at local hospitals.

In response to the tragedy, Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attack and offered condolences to the victims' families. He also ordered authorities to take action against those responsible for the violence.

Pakistan’s Shiite Muslim population, which makes up around 15% of the country’s 240 million people, has historically faced sectarian tensions, especially in regions like Kurram where Shiites are the majority. This incident follows similar clashes in July, which resulted in the deaths of nearly 50 people from both communities.

Meanwhile, Pakistan is also engaged in ongoing intelligence-based operations in the northwest and southwestern Balochistan province, where separatist groups and militants, including the Pakistani Taliban and the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), frequently target security forces and civilians.

By Tamilla Hasanova